Evan, 3 months

Alex, 3 months

Evan, 6 months

Alex, 6 months

Evan, 9 months

Alex, 9 months

Evan, 1 year

Alex, 1 year

Evan, 18 months

Alex, 18 months

Evan, 2 years

Evan, 3 years

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Can you believe tomorrow is December?!
This is what my living room looked like yesterday afternoon...getting ready for Christmas and advent activities. This year we are doing Truth in the Tinsel...if you haven't gotten this...you need to! We are also doing a book advent where we open a new Christmas book each day to read together. Another thing I'd like to implement is random acts of kindness to people throughout the holiday season. For instance, taking coffee or hot chocolate to the bell ringers, etc. I found the idea here.

I also found a cute Santa countdown that I think will be fun for Evan to use to put a cotton ball on each day to make Santa's beard as well as a ton of fun things to do over the holiday season.

Monday, November 28, 2011

We had a great Thanksgiving until Alex got sick, dehydrated and in the hospital for a couple of days. Thankfully we are home now, the antibiotics cleared his double ear infection and respiratory infection. We are thankful that he's okay and are hopeful that all of us can stay healthy. It's been a long couple of months

Here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving weekend...hope you had a great one too!

We got the call Wed. before heading to St. Louis that Mike's brother, Dave and his wife, Sarah had their baby girl, Lillie. We got to head up to the hospital for a little bit and love on her before heading to St. Louis.

We had fun playing, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, making Pilgrim and Indian hats, eating, eating, and more eating, and playing outside with Jack. I don't think I've mentioned it on here about Jack, but just until the boys are a little bit bigger, Jack is staying with my sister and her two dogs. We just couldn't give Jack as much attention as we wanted and Kelli said her dogs would love a playmate! :) We are so thankful for her for taking him in for awhile. The best part is we always get to see him when we go to St. Louis.It was a great few days (except for the sickness part!)

Saturday we went over to Mike's parents house and had lunch. Alex was in the ER in St. Louis thanksgiving night and still wasn't feeling well. Friday we also ended up taking him back to the emergency room because his fever spiked and he started throwing up. After spending the afternoon slowly drinking pedialyte and getting an antibiotic shot, we were sent home. Saturday, he did take a good nap while we were at Mike's parents but woke up and didn't want to nurse and threw up the pedialyte I had given him. He had only had 1 wet diaper that day, so I called the nurses hotline and they told me to bring him in because most likely he was dehydrated. I was so sad to miss the dinner and was planning on taking a group picture of all of us before dinner, but didn't get the chance. We did have fun chatting and watching the boys play before I left...

After waiting to get into the ER, Alex was given an IV and was started on some fluids. He still didn't want to nurse and his ear infections were still pretty bad. We were admitted Saturday night and also stayed Sunday night because they wanted to see how he would do without the fluids. He wasn't nursing as long as he usually does, but finally started feeling better this afternoon. We got home this morning but last night in the hospital, I started throwing up. Thankfully I feel a little better, but definitely not myself and I am hoping it's just a 24 hours thing.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Truth in the Tinsel is an e-book written by Amanda White. It is an Advent E-Book Experience for Little Hands and it is about knowing and loving Jesus through the holiday season. I am so EXCITED for this! The planning is done for you and done in such a way that is well thought out and meaningful to the real reason for the season! Buy Truth in the Tinsel now!

This ebook will lead you and your children on your own experience
through the Christmas Story. You’ll take a few minutes each day in
reading the Christmas Story directly from the Bible, making a fun
ornament craft and talking about it together.

On Black Friday only it will be $2.99 and regular price is $4.99. You guys...that is an AWESOME deal! Amanda had done all of the work! She has the plans laid out, materials needed, directions, bible verse, you name it. It will help you and your children learn about Jesus and the Christmas Story. The best part is if you've already created your own advent calendar of some sort...add this to it! I can't wait to post pictures of what we are going to be doing here at the Laughlin house.

Each day has five parts to help you have fun in a quick and easy way teach your child about the Christmas Story. It includes the overall supply list (as well as the daily supply list) to help you with your shopping for the ornaments and I'm almost 95% sure you'll have most of it around the house! Templates are included as well. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how Amanda included pictures of what to do for each ornament and how to make it. Each day contains the "read it together" bible verse; "make it together" ornament; "talk about it" paragraph; and "do more together" extension to really help your child understand the bible verse and make a real life connection.

Click here to get your own E-book copy for your family...for a friend....for your grand-kids or your nieces or nephews. This could also be used as a great activity with youth groups or children's church.

Click here to "like" them on facebook
Amanda is going to challenge everyone to "give" our kids the first 24 days of
December by doing the book together & joining the Truth in the Tinsel Facebook page. We will be encouraging each other every day during
Advent (by posting pics of the craft you did, funny things your kids
said while doing the activity, etc.).

This post has an affiliate link. Thanks for supporting my blog and this fantastic e-book!
I received a free e-book copy of Truth in the Tinsel to review and post my thoughts, which are all my own. :)